Shoe lace fastener



y 1934- G. M. KAUFFMAN 1,957,600

SHOE LACE FASTENER Filed June 22, 1933 Patented May 8, 1934 1,957,600

UNH'EE STATEfi PATENT OFFICE.

SHOE LACE FASTENER George M. Kauifman, Baltimore, Md. Application June 22, 1933, Serial No. 677,124 3 Claims. (01. 2414 l) This invention relates to an improved shoe lace pair of the plates 10 are mounted in the upper fastener and seeks, among other objects, to proforward corners of a shoe upper adjacent the vide a simple and efiicient device of this character lace opening therein, being preferably disposed which, after the lace of a shoe has been tied, may between the uppermost eyelets and the vertical p r be bent around the ends of the lace for neatly edges of the upper at the lace opening. In the 60 5 holding the end portions of the lace close against drawing, I have shown a conventional shoe at 13, the shoe, thereby obviating the possibility of the usual eyelets of the shoe at 14, and the lace catching of the lace on objects against which the at 15. Overlying the central body portions of the shoe may be brought in contact with consequent plates 16 are cap plates 16 which are preferably I 7 possible tripping or other injury to the wearer of of suitable resilient sheet metal but in any event c5 10 the shoe. are rigid as compared with the plates 10. The

The invention seeks, as a further object, to plates 16 are rectangular to conform to the shape provide a device of this character embodying a of the body portions of the plates 10 so as to terductile plate having tongues which may be readiminate flush therewith, and extending through I ly bent about the ends of the shoe lace and wherethe plates 10 and 16 and through the shoe upper 70 in a more rigid cap plate will be employed for are rivets or other suitable fastening devices 17 securing the ductile plate in position on the shoe rigidly securing the parts to the shoe. as well as provide a rigid member about which As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the tongues the tongues may be bent. 11 of the fastening plates are normally straight I I And the invention seeks, as a still further obso that the two ends of the lace 15 may be brought 7-5- ject, to provide a device well adapted for use in together across said plates and tied in the cusconnection with conventional shoes and which tomary manner. The loops 18 thus formed, as may be readily applied. well as the ends of the lace, are then bunched at With the foregoing and other objects in view, each side of the shoe upper, when the tongues 11 the invention consists in certain novel details of each of the fastening plates are bent over and 3 of construction and combinations of parts hereacross said loops and the ends of the lace, as inafter fully described and claimed, it being unshown in Fig. 1, for snugly securing the lace derstood that various modifications may be reends and the loops close against the shoe upper. sorted to within the scope of the appended claims Dangling of the lace ends so as to possibly catch -without departing from the spirit or sacrificing in adjacent objects and trip the wearer of the 5 any of the advantages of the invention. shoe will thus be prevented while also, the shoe In the drawing forming part of this specificalace will be prevented from becoming untied. To tion, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a conuntie the lace, however, it is simply necessary to ventional shoe equipped with a pair of my imgrasp the ends thereof when a slight jerk on the proved fastening d vi lace will flex the tongues 11 to free the lace ends, 90 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation more when the shoe may be untied in the Customary particularly showing the location of the fastenway.

ing devices on the shoe, In Fig. 5 of the drawing, I have illustrated a Fig.3 is a detail sectional View on the line 3-3 slight var a n of the invention wherein 1 p of Fig. l, vide a U-shaped resilient clip 19 of suitable sheet 52 Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the metal. overlying one end of the clip is a fasparts of the fastener disassembled, tening plate 20 like the plate 10 and overlying Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing a slight the plate 20 is a cap plate 21 like the plate 16, variation of the invention. rivets or other suitable fastening devices 22 being In carrying the invention into effect, I ememployed to secure the parts to the clip. Thus,

ploy a ductile fastening plate 10 of lead or other as suggested in Fig. 5, the clip 19 may be ensuitable metal such as will withstand repeated gaged over the upper edge of the shoe upper, conbending without fracture. The body or central ventionally shown at 23, for connecting the lace portion of the plate is substantially rectangular fastener with the shoe. Otherwise, this Variation and. extending from one longitudinal edge of the of the invention is identical with the preferred 5 body, flush with the adjacent end edge thereof, construction and further description is accordis a tongue 11 while a similarly located tongue 12 ingly believed unnecessary.

extends from the opposite longitudinal edge of Having thus described the invention,Iclaim:

the body. 1. A shoe lace fastener including a fastening V As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a plate provided with oppositely directed ductile oszcoo ductile fastening plates mounted upon the upper at opposite sides of said opening near the upper edge of the upper and each provided with oppositely directed offset tongues, rigid cap plates overlying the fastening plates, and fastening devices extending through the plates and securing said plates to the upper, said tongues being adapted to be bent about the ends of the lace when the lace is tied for securing the lace ends close against the upper.

GEORGE M. KAUFFMAN. EL. 5.] 

